Loved it. Reminded me of Last Stop on Market Street in the best ways. It blows my mind how different his illustration style is to his wife Erin Stead's, but at the same time so similar. Especially the dog and the turtle.

I really loved the page turn to all the polaroids of blue skies. And I wonder if the blue horse is a tribute to Eric Carle.

I'm excited to share this with 6- to 10-year-olds. They're often asked to write stories in school and will, I think, be able to relate to the author's dilemma. It's all about how you look at the world. ( )

This book made me kind of want to cry, but most things do that -- so who knows. Regardless, it is quite beautiful.

An author/illustrator not having an idea turns into its own idea in this meandering story of Stead's walk with his dog, Wednesday. The art is made with monoprint techniques and collage, including Polaroid photos.

"How are things?"
"I have to write a story today."
"Wonderful!"
"But I don't have any ideas."
"Oh, I wouldn't worry about it. Ideas are all around."

And they are. ( )

This is probably the most interested Philip Stead book that I have read. Stead cannot come up with an idea of something to write of, so he writes about the things he sees and does on his walk with his dog, Wednesday. They pass many buildings and see many animals on the way. Barbara, his neighbor, reminds him that ideas are all around. This is the first Stead book that I've read that does not personify animals or other non-person objects, though it still incorporates them. ( )

This book is about a author who is supposed to write a story but does not have any ideas. The author decides to take his dog Wednesday out for a walk to see if something can spark his mind. On their walk they encounter all kinds of things and eventually ends up at Barbara's house, an older women who sparks his mind by saying "ideas are all around". The author soon realizes that the things Wednesday and himself encounter have made up a wonderful story to tell. This is a great story to use for any age group about the writing process. Children can easily get stumped when it comes to thinking of ideas on their own and this book helps point out that ideas are anywhere. This story is unique in the different types of media used as the illustrations and really pull in the audience. Overall this is an excellent book and I will use it in my future classroom. ( )